Auld Lang Syne

The song “Auld Lang Syne” is traditionally sung on New Year's Eve.  But why?  And what the heck does it mean?

“Auld Lang Syne” is an old Scottish folk song.  The song title translates to “days gone by.” The poet Robert Burns is credited with adapting and partially rewriting the song in the late 1700s.  The meaning of the song is to ask people to remember old friends, people they have met, and the experiences they have had.

The song has been sung on New Year’s Eve since the mid-19th century.  It became popular when Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians played it during a radio broadcast from New York’s Roosevelt Hotel at midnight on December 31, 1929. The band performed the song every year until 1976, and loudspeakers continue to blast their rendition after the annual ball drop in Times Square to this day.

Have you ever heard Auld Lang Syne sung at a New Year's Eve Party?